System of electrical distribution.



E. M. HEWLETT (Ia C. I. BURKHOLDER.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9. I9I7. v

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEEI I.

- Inventor s Charles LBurkhoIder.

I Edward MI-Iewlett,

b5 Their Attorney.

E. M. HEWLETT & c. I. BURKHOLDIER.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9,19I7.

1,295,498. Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I Fig. 2.

lri ventor s Charles LBurkholder: Edward M .I-lewletc b MQ TheirAttorney.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD M. HEWLETT, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, AND CHARLES I. BURKHOLD ER,01' CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNORS T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC .COMIANY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

Patented Feb. 25, 1919.

Application filed March 9, 1917. Serial No. 153,750.

To all whom it may concern: 1

Be it known that we, EDWARD M. HEWLETT and CHARLES I. BURKHOLDER,citizens of the United. States, residing, respectively, at Schenectady,county of Sch'ene'ctady, State of New York, and at Charlotte, coimty ofMecklenburg, State of North Carolina, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Systems of Electrical Distribution, of which thefollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to systems 'of'elec-' trical distribution andparticularly to controlling means for the circuits of a plurality fofelectric conductors-orv feeders of such' systems:

When it is desired feeders in predetermined time interva1s,'1t

has been the usual practice to provide eachof the protective relayscontrolling, the independent trip circuits for the feederswith separatetiming means, whereby their time of operation could be regulated. It hasbeen found, however, that when'it is essential that a plurality offeeders be opened in a predetermined sequence that the" independenttiming devices cannot be relied upon, as duean abnormal condition on itsfeeder sets the common timing device into operation and as long as therelay isactuated, the common device is'operated until, after apredetermined time, it completes thetrip circuit of the relay actuated,to open its corresponding feeder. The time interval between the oc-'currence of the abnormal condition and the opening of the correspondingfeeder is therefore controlled by adevice in comm on to all. thetripcircuits for the feeders and there is no danger that any feeder will beopened before its time interval and due to the operation of the commontiming device the sequence of opening the feeders is alto open aplurality of ways certain. Means is also provided for at Wlll changingthe time interval for tripping esired.

The novel features which we believe to be characteristic of ourinvention will be definitely indicated in the claims appended heretowhile the features of construction and mode of operation will be bestunderstood by reference to the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings which show the'preferredembodiment of our invention and in which the fig ures show,diagrammatically, our novel control means with connections:coutrollingthe circuits of a plurality of feeders. V 1

In Fig. 1 we have shown our novel" and improved control means ascomprising a dial switch .having. a movable contact armor member 1cooperating with two sets of fixed contact members 2 and 3, the contactmember 1' being mounted for rotative movement on a shaft 4, and thetwo'sets of contact members 2 and 3 being concentrically arranged aboutthe shaft 4 in the .path of 'travel of contact member 1. Concentri-.cally arranged also about the shaft L is contact member or ring 6 towhich the contact arm is operatively connected or maintained inengagement by any suitable resilient conducting means. and the contactarm 1 are actuated or ro-i tated by means of a motor 7 through a mag-Jnetic clutch-8 and worm reduction gearing 9, the reduction gearing beingso related to the speed of revolution ofthe motor that the contact armengages the'sets of'contacts 2 and 3 in predetermined successive timeintervals, or periods of time,-the contacts 2' being arranged to beengaged justprior to the engagement of the corresponding contacts.

The contact arm 1 is biased to initial position by a spring 10.

The two concentric sets of contact members 2 and 3 comprise an equalnumber-of contacts, the inner set of contacts 2 being known as bellcontacts and the outer set'of contacts 3 as the trip contacts. In Fig. lwe have shown our timing device as adapted to control the circuits ofeleven feeders but we The shaft 4 p 20, 21 and 22 respectively which arein independent trip circuits controlled by their respectiveelectroresponsive devices or protective relays 23, 24, 25, 26respectively, the connections of the relay windings to their respectivefeeders being omit ed for purbut, by way of example, we have shown posesof clearness.

-It is understood that' the protective relays may be responsive to anypredetermined abnormal condition on their feeders these relays as of theinstantaneous overload type. In Fig. 1 we have shown each independenttrip circuit corresponding to the feeders as connected to one of thefixed or trip contacts 3 all the trip circuits being thus controlled bythe common control means or timing device.

Each trip circuit is also controlled by its.

respective protective relay, operating to close their contacts 27 and 28in their re-' spective trip circuit. Each relay, in operating, alsoengages a third contact 29 which cooperates with contact 27 to controlthe circuitof the motor 7 and magnetic clutch. 8

"in parallel. The contacts 27 and 29 for tion.

each relay being in parallel and connected to the control buses- 30 and31, it is evident that the actuation of any relay to close its contacts27 and 29 setsthe motor. in opera- Operatively related to the shaft 4and preferablycarried thereon is a cam member 32 Which cooperates with acontrol device for the motor circuit. This control device i. consists ofa switch member 33 normally in engagement with a contact 34 to close thecontrol circuit of the motor 7 but movable by the" cam member 32 whenthe contact arm 1 completes one revolution or reaches the end of itspath of movement, to break engagement 'With contact 34 and open themotor control circuit and to engage contact 35 to close an indicating oralarm circuitn' The switch member 33 then remains w in position to holdthe motor circuit open until reset in motor operating position by hand.

w The operation of our control means or timing device may be describedas follows:

Under normal conditions on each feeder the timing device, protectiverelays and switches are in the posit1on indicated in Fig. 1. Let

us assume a predetermined abnormal condition, such as an overload,occurs on feeder 12, for instance. Its electroresponsive device orprotective relay 24 instantly operates in response to the predeterminedcondition and moves into contact closing position to closesimultaneously, its three contacts 27, 28 and 29. A motor operating orcontrol circuit is then completed from the positive source of currentthrough the switch 36 along conductors 37 to switch 33, contact 34,conductor 38, through the clutch 8 and motor 7 in parallel and then byconductor 39 to the control bus 30 and thence by conductor 40 tocontacts 29 and 27 of relay 24, now closed by the actuation of therelay, to the control bus 31 and thence by conductor 36 to the negativesource of current. The closing of this circuit by the actuation of therelay 24 sets the motor 7 into operation through its magnetic clutch 8and the shaft 4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow. tensioningspring 10. It is apparent that as the contacts 27 and 29 of each relayare in parallel that the movement of any of the protective relays tocontact closing position will close the motor control circuit and setthe timing device into operation. Irrespective of which relay sets thetiming device into operation, the contact arm 1 rotates in the directionof the arrow, engaging the cor responding contacts in each concentricset" of contacts 2 and 3 corresponding to the feeders.

As the contact arm 1 is actuated, the first movement of the timingdevice is to cause the contact arm to engage contacts 41 and 42. Thetrip circuit of feeder 11 is open at its contacts 27 and 28, as normalconditions exist on the feeder 11 and its relay 23 is in normal orcontact opening position, conse quently nothing happens by theengagement of trip contact 41 but the engagement of'the bell contact 42corresponding to feeder 11.

completes an indicating or alarm circuit from the positive source ofcurrent, throughswitch 36 along conductor 45 to contact ring 6, contactarm 1, contact 42, to the indicating device or bell alarm 46, to thecontrol bus 31 and back over conductor 36 to the negative source ofcurrent. Indicating device or bell alarm 46 thereupon operates and givesasignal. The contact arm' 1 being still maintained in operation by themotor- 7, continues in its path of movement, breaks engagement withcontacts 41 and 42 and next engages simultaneously contacts 43 and 44corresponding to feeder'12. As contacts 42 and 44 and the other contactsin the concentric set of bell contacts 2 are connected in parallel, theengagement of the arm land contact 44 closes the bell alarm circuitagain in the manner just described. With the engagement of contact 43,however, the tim-' contact closing position in the tripcircuitcorresponding to the faulty feeder 12 Whose relay 24: is in contactclosing position due to abnormal conditions on its feeder. In thisposition of the contact arm, the tripping circuitfor the feeder istherefore completed from the positive source of current along conductor45, contact ring 6, contact arm 1, contact 43, trip coil 20, contacts 27and 28' of relay 24, now in contact engaging position, to the controlbus 31 and back over conductor 36*- to the negative source of cur-1rent. The trip circuit for feeder 12 being completed, its trip coil 20is energized and switch 16 automatically opened to discon nect thefeeder.

Upon opening the feeder, its relay 24: is deenergized and contacts 27and 28 opened and at the same time contact 29 is disengaged which withcooperating contacts 27 opensthe motor control circuit whereupon themotor-7 is interrupted and its clutch 8 is disconnected. Shaft 4: withcontact arm 1 is then rotated in the reverse direction and returns toits initial position under the action of the resetting means or spring10. It" is thus apparent that in response to a predetermined abnormalcondition, such as an overload, upon the feeder 12, its relay 24 isoperated to set in operation the timing device which after apredetermined time corresponding to the time required for the contactarm to move from initial position into position to engage contact 43,the trip circuit for feeder 12 is completed and the feeder opened. Inasimilar manner our common timing device is adapted to be set intooperation in response to the actuation of any of the protective relaysand the contact arm 1 thereof carried successively into a circuitclosing position in each trip circuit in a definite sequence until thetrip circuit is reached whose relay has operated when this trip circuitis closed and its corresponding feeder opened. As-

the movement of the timing device through its contact arm 1 into circuitclosing position in each trip circuit is indicated by the alarm bell, anattendant by knowing the sequence of tripping the feeders, may

merely count the number of times the bell strikes to ascertain whichfeeder is in opened when its feeder circuit is opened,

the motor control circuit remains c-losedand the contact arm 1 continuesto successively engage the remaining set of contacts. Under suchcircumstances, when the contact arm completes one revolution or" reachesinto engagement with the contact 35. This device thereby interrupts themotor control circuit, which circuit cannot again be closed until thecontrol switch 33 isreset by. hand. At the same time that the motorcontrol circuitis opened, the contact arm 1 engages the latching meansor catch 35*. and is thereby held locked or restrained from returning toits initial position until the catch isreleased by hand. The engagementof the contact 35 by the switch 33 closes an alarm circuit from thepositive source of current along conductor 37, to switch 33, throughcontact 35, to alarm device 47, and the control bus 31 back to thenegative source of current. The alarm 47 rings continuously to notifythe operator of the trouble.

From the connections shown in Fig. 1, the trip circuit for each feederis operatively related to one of the trip contacts 3 so that the tripcircuits are closed in a definite sequence and in predeterminedsuccessive time intervals. It is often, desirable to change the sequenceof tripping and to enable each feeder tripping circuit to be closed invarious time intervals. In order to adjust the time of tripping, weprovide as shown in Fig. 2, means whereby the time interval for trippingeach feeder may be varied at will.

In Fig. 2 we have, for purposes of clearness, shown only a portion ofour control device-0f Fig. 1. Between the series of trip contacts 3 andthe protective relays corresponding to each feeder we provide a timecalibrating or regulating means consisting of a dial switchcorresponding to each feeder having rotatably movable contact members orarms 48 cooperating with a series of concentrically arranged fixedcontacts 49, the numberof fixed contacts 49 corresponding to the numberof different time settings. In Fig. 2 we have shown, due to ;lack ofspace, the time adjusting or calibrating means applied to but fourfeeders as in Fig. 1 but it is understood that similar means areprovided for each feeder of the plurality controlled. We have alsoshown, for purposes of illustration, each time setting means ascomprising nine contacts t9 corresponding to nine time settings for eachfeeder. The similar contacts of each set of contacts 4:9 for each timesetting device are connected to common buses 50, 51, 52, 53, 54., 55,56, 57 and'58, respectively, by means of the conductors 59 and each ofthe common buses 50 to 58 inclusive are (in turn connected by conductors60 to the contacts 3. 'The buses 50 and 58 inclusive comprise the commontime interval buses for the plurality of feeders and correspond tosuccessive time intervals, for instance, any feeder having its trip coilcircuit connected to bus 50 will be closed, for instance, in one secondand all feeders to :be tripped in two seconds will be connected to bus51 et cetera. The time intervals represented by each bus 50 to 58inclusive is determined by the time required for the switch arm 1' toengage the contacts 3 corresponding to the buses.

1 To more clearly describe our invention let us assume that feeders 14,13, 12 and 11 are desired to be tripped in one, two, three and fourseconds respectively. The time control means or dial switch for feeder14 is set by moving the arm 48 to engage the first or one second contactas shown. Trip coil 22 for feeder 14 is therefore connected to bus 50 orthe one second bus. The arm 48 of the dial switch for feeder 13 is movedto engage the second contact as shown, which connects the trip coil 21to bus 51 or the two second bus. In like manner the arms 48 of the dialswitches are moved to connect the trip coils 20 and 19 of feeders 12 and11 respectively to the three and four second buses 52 and 53respectively.

- With these time settings for opening the circuits of the variousfeeders, let us assume an overload occurs on feeder 13, for instance,causing its relay 25 to operate which as before described, starts themotor 7 into operation and closes its contacts 27 and 28 in the circuitof its trip coil 21. The motor 7 rotates the shaft 4 and arm 1 firstengages contacts 41 and 42 and, as before, causes the bell alarm 46 tooperate. The engagement of arm 1 and contact 41 fails to cause anyoperation as the trip circuit of feeder 14 connected to bus 50 andcontact 41 is open at the contacts 27 and 28 of its relay 26. At thenext successive time interval contacts 43 and 44 are engaged and, forthe same reasons as just stated, the trip circuit of feeder 13 connectedto bus 51 and contact 43 is not closed but the bell alarm 46 is againoperated. At the succeeding time interval, which we will assume is threesecond after initial operation, the contact arm 1 engages contacts 61and 62 to operate bell alarm 46 and this time a circuit is completedfrom the positive source of current along conductor 45 to contact ring6, contact arm 1, contact 61, along its conductor 60, to thethree-second bus 52, thence along bus 52, to the conductor 59corresponding to the time control switch for feeder 12, to contact 63,its contact arm 48 and thence to trip coil 20, through contacts 28 and27 closed by relay 24, to the control bus 31 and back to the negativesource of current. Feeder 12 is thereby opened and relay 24 deenergizedto open contacts 27 and 28 and to simultaneously break engagement withcontact 29 to openthe current of motor 7. The contact arm 1 is thereuponreturned to initial position as before described.

In like manner, the time required for each feeder to be opened can bedetermined by the setting of their contact members 48 of theirrespective time adjusting means and the rotatable switch arm 1 of themain control device operates to close the trip circuit of the feeder inthe time desired, that is, at the end of the first time interval, theswitch arm 1 of the timing device energizes the first time interval bus50 and all trip circuits connected to this bus will be operated whoseprotective relays have assumed circuit closing position. At the end ofthe second time interval, the second time interval bus 51 will beenergized and so on until that bus is energized corresponding to thetime setting of the feeder at fault whereupon the feeder is opened andthe apparatus returned to normal position. It is thus apparent that weprovide a common timing device for all circuits and means whereby thesequence and time of tripping of each feeder may be adjusted at will.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, we havedescribed the principle of operation of our invention, together with theapparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodimentthereof; but we desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown isonly illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by othermeans.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. The combination with a plurality of circuits opened at more than onepoint, means for closing each of said circuits at one point in responseto predetermined abnormal conditions, and means in common to all saidcircuits operative in response to the actuation of any of said firstmentioned means for completing those circuits closed by said firstmentioned means in certain ime intervals.

2. The combination with a plurality of trip circuits open at more thanone point, an electroresponsive device for closing each of said circuitsat one point in response to predetermined abnormal conditions, and meansin common to all said circuits and opera tive in response to theactuation of any of said electroresponsive devices for completing thosecircuits closed by said devices in any desired sequence.

3. The combination with a plurality of trip circuits, of control meansfor said trip circuits comprising an electroresponsive device for eachcircuit, a device in common to all said circuits, and means foroperating said common device in response to the actuation of any of saidelectroresponsive devices, said common device operating as long as anyof said electroresponsive devices are actuated to assume a circuitclosing position in said trip circuits until that circuit is reachedcorresponding to the electroresponsive device actuated.

4. The combination with a plurality of circuit opening devices, offeeders controlled means for closing the second set of contacts in eachtrip circuit in a certain sequence, and a control c rcult for saidcommon'means controlled by the actuation of any of saidelectroresponsive means. i

5. The-combination with a plurality of electroresponsive devices,separate trip circuits controlledthereby,;of a common control means forsaid trip circuits set into operation by the actuation of any of saidelectroresponsive devices, including means formoving said control meansinto circuit closing relation with said 'trip circuits 'in successivetime intervals, circuit controlling devices operatively related tosaid'trlp cir- ,cuits, each circuit controlling device being actuatedonly when its respective trip circuit is closed by both its respectiveelectroresponsive device and said common control means.

6. The combination with a plurality of feeders, switches controllingsaid feeders,

trip circuits controlling said switches, electroresponsive devicesresponsive to conditions on sald feeders for controlling saidtrip'circuits, and a common timing means set into operationandcontrolled by the actuation 0 any of said electroresponsive devicesforcompleting said trip circuits in a certain sequence. I

7 The combination with a plurality of feeders, circuit opening means forsaid feeders, trip circuits forsaid circuit opening means,electroresponsive devices actuatable in response to certain conditionson each of said feeders for partially 'closin-g said trip circuits, andmeans'operative by the actuation of any of said electroresponsivedevices for. completing in a certain sequence those trip circultscorrespondlng to the actuated electroresponsive devices.

8. The combination with a plurality :of

.Itri circuits, a plurality of feeders contr'o led thereby, of relayscontrolling each circuit in response to predetermined abnormal conditons on their respective feeders, and'a common means controlled by theactuation of any of said relays for successively assuming a circuitclosing position in said trip circuits until that circuit is reachedwhose relay is actuated, switches for said feeders adapted to open whentheir trip circuits are closed by both said common means and theirrespective relays, and means for returning said common means to itsinitial position when the feeder at fault is opened.

9. The combination with a plurality of feeders, automatic circuitopening devices therefor, and trip circuits for said devices, of meansfor completing said trip circuits in response to abnormal conditions ontheir respective feeders in a certain sequence comprising, a device incommon to all said trip circuits operative to successively assume acircuit completing position in said trip circuits, separate controlmeans for each trip circuit cooperating with said device and operativeto permit said device to complete only those trip circuits correspondingto feeders uponwhich abnormal conditions trip circuits, contacts in saidtrip circuits,

electroresponsive means controlling said contacts of each trip circuit,a device operatively related to all said trip circuits and controlled inresponse to the actuation of any of said electroresponsive means, secondcontacts in each of said trip circuits controlled in a certain sequenceby said control device, only those trip circuits being renderedoperative which have their first mentioned and second contacts bothclosed at the same time.

12. A timing device for a plurality of circuits comprising a first setof contacts operatively related to said circuits, a second set ofcontacts corresponding with said first set of contacts, a contact membersuccessively engageable with similar contacts in said first and secondsets, motive means for causing the engagement of said contact member andeach pair of similar contacts in a certain sequence, indicating meansactuated by the engagement of said arm and said second set of contacts,the engagement of said contact-arm'and said first set of contactsactingto control said plurality of circuits.

13. A timing device for a plurality of circontacts.

contacts, a similar set of indicating contacts, a cooperating contactmember, motive means for causing similar contacts of each of said setsto be simultaneously and successively engaged by said cooperatingcontact member, means for disconnecting said motive means underpredetermined conditions, a resetting means for returning said contactarm to initial position when released from said motive means, and meansoperative upon the completion by said contact arm of its path ofmovement for interrupting said motive means and locking said contact armagainst its return to initial position.

14. A device for controlling the inclependent trip circuits for aplurality of feeders comprising a contact member, contacts correspondingto each of said trip circuits, actuating means operative in response toa predetermined abnormal condition on any feeder for producing arelative movement of said contact member and said contacts, saidactuating means causing the engagement of said contact member and saidcontacts to close said trip circuits in a certain sequence, and means inoperative relation to each trip circuit for rendering effective theengagement of said contact member and only those contacts correspondingto feeders having abnormal conditions thereon.

15'. A device for controlling a plurality of tripping circuits for aplurality of feeders comprising circuit opening devices for each feedercontrolled by said trip circuits, relays movable in response topredetermined abnormal conditions on their respective feeders forpartially closing their respective trip circuits, a control deviceoperatively related to all said trip circuits, including means formoving said device to complete those circuits partially closed by saidrelays in a certain sequence.

16. The combination with a pluralityof feeders, means controlling thecircuits of said feeders comprising a plurality of contacts, a memberoperative in response to predetermined abnormal conditionson any of saidfeeders for engaging said contacts in certain time intervals, controlcircuits for said feeders opened at two points and controlled by theengagement of said contacts, each circuit being closed at one point inresponse to abnormal conditions on its respective feeder and closed atthe other point by the engagement of said member and said contacts, andmeans for rendering the completion of each circuit in response to theengagement of said member \v1th any of said 17. The combination with aplurality of said circuits in a certain sequence, and means operativelyrelated to each trip circuit for regulating the sequence of itscompletion.

18. The combination with a plurality of circuits, separate control meansfor each circuit operative to assume circuit closing position in itsrespective circuit in response to predetermined conditions, a commontiming device operative upon the actuation of any of said control meansto assume a circuit closing position in said circuits in a predeterminedsequence, and means whereby the sequence of closing of each circuit canbe varied at will.

19. The combination with a plurality of feeders, trip circuits therefor,of electroresponsive means responsive to abnormal conditions on eachfeeder for partially closing said trip circuits, a common control meansset into operation in response to the closure of any of saidelectroresponsive means for completing said trip circuits in a certainsequence, said electroresponsive means acting to permit the completionof only those trip circuits corresponding to feeders having abnormalconditions thereon, and means associated with said trip circuits forvarying their sequence of tripping.

20. The combination with a plurality of conductors adapted to beenergized in a certain sequence, a plurality of circuits,electro-responsive means for each circuit operative in response topredetermined abnormal conditions to assume a circuit closing positionin its respective circuit, and means for at will connecting each of saidcircuits to any one of said conductors whereby said circuits arecompleted in any sequence desired.

21. The combination with a plurality of feeders independent tripcircuits therefor, of electro-responsivemeans responsive to abnormalconditions on each feeder for controlling said trip circuit-s, aplurality of conductors successively energized in a certain sequence,time controlling means set into operation in response to the operationof any of the electroresponsive means to energize said conductors, andmeans for rendering each trip circuit responsive to the energization ofany of said conductors, said electroresponsive means operating to permitthe closure of only those trip circuits upon which abnormal conditionsexist.

22. The combination with a time controlling device comprising arotatable switch member, contacts adapted to be engaged by the rotationof said switch member in successive time intervals, motive means forautomatically rotating said switch member, circuits operatively relatedto said contacts, and means controlling each circuit selectively actuatable to set said motive means into operation and to render theirrespective oil'- 5 cuits closable by the engagement of said switchmember and their respective contacts. In Witness whereof, the saidHEWLETT has hereunto set his hand this 3rd day of March, 1917; and thesaid BURKHOLDER has here untf?) set his hand this 5th day of March 1 191EDWARD M. HEWLETT. CHARLES I. BURKHOLDER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of latents, Washington, D. 0.

